NDP says leaked audio of Sask. Party candidate reveals party divided on education

Sask. Party divided on education record: NDP WATCH: Leaked audio from a January meeting with a Sask. Party MLA reveals divisions on the government's approach to education, the NDP says.

The Saskatchewan NDP says signs of internal struggle at the Saskatchewan Party are beginning to show after the party leaked audio of an opposition candidate being critical of his party's policies.

In three clips sent to media Monday morning, Regina Pasqua candidate Muhammad Fiaz can be heard speaking with a constituent over concerns about the province's billboard campaign in the lead up to a labour dispute with Saskatchewan teachers.

“I totally agree with you," Fiaz says in the recording. "It was disrespectful, and I'm speaking myself, it takes big courage to tell you that. That was not appropriate stuff by my government and I acknowledge that.”

Fiaz, who has represented the riding since 2016, spoke about overcrowding at his own son's school, Campbell Collegiate.

"Thirty-five kids in Campbell. It's insane. People are sitting on the floor," Fiaz said.

NDP candidate Matt Love says this shows the internal struggle happening inside the Sask. Party to the point where candidates are having a tough time defending certain decisions.

"This is part of a bigger concern. My own opponent in Eastview is telling folks on the doorstep that Scott Moe has broken our classrooms," Love said. "He's telling them that he is going to stand up to Scott Moe.”

Firing back, the Sask. Party had receipts of its own.

It says NDP candidates have made bold claims of their own in the past, including candidate Darcy Warrington saying $10 a day childcare shouldn’t exist in an online post from May.

Earlier in the campaign, the Sask. Party highlighted other controversial posts online from NDP party candidates — some more than 10 years ago.

Phil Smith, the NDP candidate for Estevan-Big Muddy and a former rapper, apologized for songs released about a decade ago after the Sask. Party issued a media release calling some of his lyrics "misogynistic, pro-drugs and pro-crime."

Daniel Westlake, an assistant professor in the department of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, says both parties have used similar tactics to put more attention on specific issues.

In this case, Fiaz's concerns point to education, as well as divisions within the party.

"I think the NDP might think that issue might win them some votes," Westlake said.

But parties need to be concerned about negative messaging, he says.

"Negativity attracts attention. That doesn't necessarily make parties look good," he said.

While research suggests negative messaging can work, Westlake said studies also show if one party uses negative attack ads while another ignores it and stays with positive messaging, the negative messaging party will fare worse.

In this election, both parties have taken a similar approach to these more pointed attacks. Overall, Westlake feels this campaign has remained civil in comparison to other provincial elections this fall.

" I'm not overly concerned that what we've seen so far is suggesting a high level of incivility," Westlake said.

"As mudslinging goes, this does not seem to be a lot of mud being thrown around compared to what we see in other cases."

With one week until ballots are counted, more tactics like these can be expected, and Westlake said some internal disagreement is likely healthy for any party.

"It's probably better for our democracy if we have some disagreement in those parties that reflects the fact that there's going to be disagreement amongst the voters for those parties," Westlake said. "And that's true for the Sask. Party and the NDP."